A Walk in the Garden
by SadCactus
Summary: Captain Hawkeye escorts Fuhrer Mustang on an impromptu walk through the garden. Fluffy, post-Brotherhood one-shot. Royai.


Author's note: Guess what? This is my first fanfic ever! My husband and I just finished watching FMA: Brotherhood, and I just HAD to have some closure with Mustang and Hawkeye's relationship! Partially because I'm slightly in love with Mustang, which my husband finds hilarious. So here is what I think would have gone down after Mustang became Fuhrer. Hope you like it!

It was a pleasant day. The birds were active, and the heat was nice but bordering on oppressive, causing sweat to bloom and drip beneath their thick military uniforms. This felt strangely right, Captain Hawkeye mused as she escorted the Fuhrer down the path to his home. There had been a time when cheerful summer days had seemed cruel and unfair in comparison with the darkness of the times and the frightening touch of her memories. Today, however, the brightness and the heat seemed fitting, like it ushered in a new hope—as though maybe even the chattering birds were on their side.

"You're being awfully quiet there, Captain," General Mustang remarked, peeking back at her beneath the short brim of his cap.

"Sorry, sir," she replied, mirroring him as he stopped walking for a moment. "I was thinking about how different things are going to be now. This country is facing a new beginning, with you as Fuhrer and the homunculi no longer here to manipulate us. A lot is going to change."

"It won't be easy," Mustang agreed thoughtfully. He turned to face her fully.

"Captain, why don't you escort me through the garden?" The request piqued Hawkeye's interest a bit. Aside from his occasional interactions with Madame Armstrong, the florist-turned-informant, General Mustang had never shown much of an interest in flowers.

"Of course, sir. Have you become interested in botany all of a sudden?"

A characteristic smirk graced the Fuhrer's features as he moved in the direction of the garden. "Not exactly, Captain. I actually wanted to find a moment to talk to you."

"Oh? And what about, might I ask?"

The General's expression was strangely unreadable. He did not answer her question, but continued walking silently until they had reached the center of the garden.

"Riza." He still had his back to her. The sound of her first name on his lips sent a slight buzz through her body.

"Sir?"

He turned towards her again, still wearing that same odd expression. He stood as tall and proud as ever, but Riza could swear she saw the faintest hint of discomfort on his face as he absently fingered his pocket watch.

"You're making me nervous, sir."

"Riza," he repeated, "when I was in the hospital, I thought I would be blind for the rest of my life. As I planned for this future, I knew you would not hesitate to be by my side through all of it, functioning as my eyes as I lived out my dream of becoming Fuhrer." The intensity in his voice and face immediately captivated her attention. "When Pride was going to make me perform human transmutation, you told me not to do it, even at the risk of your own life. And I listened to you, because you were strong and because you were right. So you have also been my strength and my conscience. And back when we killed Envy, when I was going to succumb to my hate and stray off the path of righteousness, you held a gun to my head to stop me. And that was when I promised never to hurt you again. So, you have been my judge and my rehabilitator. I have no doubt you would have been my executioner if it came to that. Although I promise it will never come to that."

There was a moment of pensive silence as Riza waited for him to finish speaking, wondering at the weight of his words as they fell from his chin.

"Riza, you have been all these things to me. And now I want you to be my queen."

The word "queen" seemed to hang in the air, and Hawkeye had to stifle a gasp as she realized the magnitude of what he meant.

"You're my superior officer, sir." The words tumbled out, an automatic response to the shock of the moment. "Fraternization is forbidden."

"I'm the Fuhrer, Captain."

"Right, of course, sir!" Hawkeye stood there in shock, and for a moment even the birds stopped chirping. Mustang's face grew visibly panicked with every second she was silent. After a moment, he cleared his throat and stood up a little straighter.

"So, what'll it be, Captain?" There was a moment's pause.

"Just to clarify, sir, are you asking me to marry you?"

The Fuhrer's eyes widened. "Yes! That is exactly what I'm asking!" He looked momentarily frustrated with himself. His expression regained its prior intensity, his eyes burning straight into hers. "Riza, will you marry me?"

"Yes!" Her voice came out shrill, and she covered her mouth with her hands again. She felt like her whole body was shaking. "Yes, I'll marry you!"

A huge smile stretched across the General's face as he enveloped his Captain in an unexpected hug. Hawkeye almost squealed in surprise.

"Excellent!" he laughed. "Excellent. Thank you."

"No need to thank me, sir," came her shaky reply. "It was… it's always been you."

"I know. And for me, it's always been you."

"I know, sir."

There came a soft, fleeting kiss. This all was quite overwhelming. The two of them stared at each other, Mustang beaming, Hawkeye shell-shocked. After a moment, they both exhaled and got caught up in nerovus laughter. Anyone listening would have thought their voices light and breathless, containing a degree of mirth quite unbecoming of a general.

"You'll have to learn to start using my first name, you know, Riza."

"I suppose I will… Roy."

"Not when we're in uniform."

"Oh, I-"

"I'm just messing with you."

Right above their heads, some birds in a tree got caught up in a loud squabble, and Riza was reminded of her musings just a moment ago regarding the state of things. Indeed, pretty soon, everything was going to change.


End file.
